17th Century Middling Outfit

I got to go "play" at Henricus yesterday for work. It was awesome! I'm so addicted to the early 17th century... I'll be doing a separate post about my pair of bodies and smock once I get good pictures taken. Those pieces, and the coif, were entirely hand sewn. The actual doublet and petticoat are not, because I made them at work, on work time, for eventual inclusion in our inventory. Thus they are a mix of machine sewing (where you can't see) and hand sewing (where you can, like all the button holes). It's definitely a time saving way of making things! And it greatly helped my wrist as well. My outfit is essentially the "prototype" for new styles of women's clothes for our female interpreters. They are very excited and so am I!

It was going to be me, Michael, Mark, and my boss, but my boss got called away on work-related business, and Michael went to Canada for the battle of Ft. Erie. However, we still had a good time! The visitors were great and asked excellent questions. They were very open and receptive to new ideas about the comfort of our clothing, etc. I had a wonderful conversation with two Muslim women about covering up completely in the heat. One of them said she often gets asked if she's "hot in that" just like we historical interpreters do!

My slate frame arrived yesterday (unfortunately not in time to be dressed for the event), so I'll be able to start on my blackwork coif in the near future. I also have fabric and trim on the way for my upper class/noble 1610s gown. I had originally thought to use that wool satin, but it was never a color that was speaking to me for that project... So I caved and bought what I really wanted, green silk for this outfit:


Anyway! Here are pictures! :)